Method of estimating support state of an electronic apparatus housing and electronic apparatus

Abstract

In a method of estimating one of mechanical supporting states of a housing for an electronic apparatus, a drive signal is supplied to an oscillation device from which first oscillation is applied to the housing. A sensor detects a second oscillation transferred through the housing in response to the first oscillation to generate an oscillation signal, and a measurement response characteristic is obtained based on the drive signal and the oscillation signal, and is compared with reference response characteristics which are correlated with the mechanical supporting states, respectively, to estimate one of the mechanical supporting states of the housing.

1. A method of estimating one of mechanical supporting states of a housing for an electronic apparatus, comprising:
 supplying a drive signal to an oscillation device provided in the electronic apparatus to apply first oscillation to the housing; 
 sensing second oscillation on the housing, which is transmitted to the housing in response to the first oscillation to output a sensor signal 
 obtaining a measurement response characteristic based on the drive signal and the sensor signal; and 
 comparing the measurement response characteristic with reference response characteristics which are correlated with the mechanical supporting states, respectively, to estimate one of the mechanical supporting states of the housing, 
 wherein the reference response characteristics are prepared for each use state of the electronic apparatus and are stored in a memory of the electronic apparatus, and 
 wherein each of the reference response characteristics includes a parameter of a transfer function of oscillation transferred from an oscillation position to a position of an acceleration sensor. 
 
     
     
       2. A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the oscillation device is a speaker. 
     
     
       3. A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the oscillation device is a motor of a storage device. 
     
     
       4. A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the oscillation device is a motor of a cooling fan. 
     
     
       5. A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the use state of the electronic apparatus includes an open/close state of a display panel and a connection state of an attachment.